Guest blogger: Tania Joyce

12 May 2019

The challenge to create powerful emotion

I didn’t realise it was Mother’s Day when I opted for this date to be the guest blogger on ARRA. I hope you are sitting back, relaxing and being pampered. Spending time with loved ones. For me it is a day to appreciate how lucky I am and I will be spending the day with my two wonderful boys and husband. But the reality is, for many people, today is a difficult day. Loss, grief, tragedy and difficult circumstances can cloud any form of celebration. Not just on Mother’s Day, but any day. With my author hat on, I love to draw on harrowing real-life experiences to create characters full of flaws and take them on heartfelt emotional journeys to find their happy ever after.

With every book I write I set myself the challenge to learn something new, improve my craft and delve deeper into my characters’ mindset. To put the words on a page that will take you, the reader, on an emotional journey, feel your heart tear apart, cry every tear and fall in love with the characters is what I aim to achieve. It takes hours, days, a zillion rewrites and edits to complete some scenes. I have literally sat at my computer, bawling, as the story flows from my fingertips.

My latest books, Ripped: The Price of Loyalty and Ruined: The Price of Play (my latest release), in my Everhide Rockstar Romance Series, are not your typical romances. They pack a punch and will tug on your heartstrings.

If you want to sit back and relax and read a ‘clean and wholesome’ romance, my books may not be for you. But if you’re after heart-wrenching, tear-jerking, powerful stories that touch some very real and often heartbreaking topics, get reading.

I’m super proud of these books. The reviews, and incredible feedback, have made it all worthwhile.

What inspired my latest release, Ruined: The Price of Play?

I wanted to write a tear-jerker, a book that will make you #UglyCry. A good cry is always cathartic. With today being Mother’s Day, it’s a reality check that not all mums’ experiences of having children are wonderful, not everything is covered in glitter and unicorn-coloured rainbows, and not every day is easy. I drew on my own experiences of having a premmie baby, try to handle autism with grace and channelled my own losses into the grief. It was very therapeutic.

Set in a rockstar world, music, fashion and life in the limelight push my characters, Hunter and Kara to their limits.

Ruined: The Price of Play

He wanted one night. She wanted forever. Time doesn’t always play nice.

The news I received from my doctor today changed the course of my life.
Altered every dream I ever wanted to pursue.
For one night I didn’t want to not think about being newly single, broken-hearted and never being able to have a baby.
It was my best friend Gemma’s engagement party.
Champagne, dancing, hanging out in a world where I didn’t belong. Far away from the uptown elite.
It was bliss.
“Kara, promise me you’ll have fun,” Gemma had said.
I had my reservations.
Then Hunter appeared. Arrogant, full-of-himself, rock star.
He was intoxicated, so was I.
He promised to make me forget my worries … just for a little while.
I couldn’t stand him. Egotistical jerk.
But he was hot. Sexy, tall and handsome as hell.
So why not?
Half an hour in bed with him was the most amazing time of my life.
Now … it’s turned into my worst nightmare.
I’m pregnant.
It shouldn’t have been possible.
He’s away on tour.
What the hell am I supposed to do?

This is a powerful, heart-wrenching romance. If you like stories with rugged heroes, strong women, and has the potential to cause tears—yes, this may make you ugly cry—you’ll love Ruined: The Price of Play. This enemies-to-lovers, tragic, rock star romance has all the feels. Grab your copy today.

Ruined: The Price of Play can be read as a standalone or as a follow-on to Ripped: The Price of Loyalty, book 1 in the Everhide Rock Star Romance Series.

Ruined: The Price of Play is exclusive to Amazon and Kindle Unlimited: Amazon US | Amazon AU